Improved foundry apparatus



5 Sheets'8heet 1.

0. WARNER. FOUNDRY APPARATUS.

-N0. 8,570. Patented Dec. 2, 18 51.

5 Sheets-Sheet 2.

0. WARNER. FOUNDRY APPARATUS.

Patented Dec. 2,1851.

c. "m: NORRIS wztsns co. PHOTGLITHO, \vAsnmmon. n

5 Sheet's-Sheet 3.

G. WARNER.

FOUNDRY APPARATUS.

No. 8,570. Patented Dec. 2. 1851.

5 Sheets-Shet 4 0. WARNER. FOUNDRY APPARATUS.

No. 8,570. Patented Dec. 2, 1851.

m: NORRIS pzTzrs co. PHOTO-LITHO, WASHINGION, u. c

5 Sheets-Sheet -5.

C. WARNER. FOUNDRY APPARATUS.

Patented Dec. 2, 1851.

In: No

mus warms co. mom-u'mo.v wAsHmm-ou, n c,

PATENT OFFICE.

CHAPMAN WARNER, or LOUISVILLE. KENTUCKY.

IMPROVED FOUNDRY APPARATUS. I

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 8.570, dated December 2, 1651.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHAPMAN WARNER, of Louisville, in the county of Jefferson and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and useful improvements in machinery for facili tating the manufacture of pipes and other articles formed by casting metal into a mold; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of my improvements, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and in which- Figure 1 represents a view in, perspective of an improved press for forming pipe-cores. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse section, and

Fig. 3 is a planet the same reversed. Figd is a View in perspective of my improved molding-press. Fi 51s an endielevation of the same with certain portions removed. Fig. 6' is a back elevation; Fig. 7, a plan; Figs 8, a longitudinal section through the upper pressbeam, and Fig. 9 a cross-section of the press with certain portions removed to show more clearly the construction of the machine. Fig. 10 is a View in perspective of my core-spindle. Fig. 11 is a similar view of aset of pipe-flasks connected with my sprue and gate-case. Fig. 12 is a vertical section, Fig. 13 a plan, and Fig. 14: a crosssegtion, of the same, these last figures showing buta single flask connected with the case.

My improvement-s consists, first, ina method of forming molds in sand,whereby the requisite uniformity in the density or hardness of the face of the moldis insured; second, in a method of charging the flask with the exact measure of nnpressed sand required to form a mold by surmounting the flask with'a hopper or curb, which increases its capacity in thesame proportion that the bulk of the unpressed sand is greater than its bulk after compression; third, in a method of'conneoting and disconnecting a hopper or curb and the flasks so that a single hopper will answer for any numberof flasks; fourth, in a method of applying facingsand to the mold; fifth, ina method of temperi ng, distributing, and sifting molding-sand by machinery; sixth, in a new method of constructing core-spindles; seventh, of a spruc-case by means of which a number of'molds in separate flasks can be filled with molten metal at the same time and through a single sprue; and, eighth, in a new combination and arrangement of foundry machinery calculated greatly to facilitate automatic molding.

My improved core-press, as represented in Figs. 1, 2, and 3, consists of a strong frame, A, and of other parts which are mounted thereon. This frame is supported at a convenient distance above the floor on which the operator stands by four legs, a c a a, which are stayed by braces. It supports a sectional core-box,

,which is formed by dividing a tubular core box by two horizontal planes into four sections, 1) b c c. The lowermost section, 0, is made fast to the bed-frame A, the two side ones, bb, are arranged to move to and fro horizontally on the lowermost section, 0, and the uppermost section, 0, is connected with a mechanical device by means of which it can be raised from or depressed upon-the two side sections.

The side sections, 1) b, are each made fast to a plate, B B, which is constructed to slide horizontally on the bed-frame toward and from the center of the core-box. They extend the whole length of the bed-frame, and are moved simultaneously from and toward each other by a device secured, to the frame beneath. This device consists of a rock-shaft, G, parallel'in direction with the core-box, and bent so as to form at each extremity two short crankawhich radiate in opposite directions from the center of the shaft, and which, when the side sections are at their greatest distance apart, are at right angles with the direction in which the sideplates, B B, move. The four cranks are arranged in pairs d dc c. That pair projecting above the shaft 0 are parallel with each other, and are of thesame length. They are connected with the side plate B, nearer the front of the machine, by connectingrods D D, whose effective length can be accurately adjusted by screws and nuts. The pair projec'ting beneath the shaft 0 are also of equal length, and are parallel with each other. They are connected by adjustable rods E E, similar to those D D above described, with the side plate B, nearer the back of the machinez The shaft 0 is fitted near its middle with a leverhandle, F, by means of which it can be turned. WVhen this handle is depressed, the side plates, B B with the side sections, bb, are drawn simultaneously from each other by the action of the cranks, and when thehandle F is raised uppermost section is connected with the bed:

frame A by two radius-bars, G, so that when depressed it shall always be guidedto its properposition inthe hopper f, and above the lowermost section, 0. This uppermost section, 0, isa-lso connected by means of a pair of jointed radius-bars, H H, .with a horizontal shaft, I, which is supported at a proper distance above the lowermost section, 0, .by two bent standards, J J. The length of the joint ed radius-bars is such that when they are extended or straightened the section 0 shall be- :depressed to its lowermost position.

I The two members 9 g, of which each jointedradiusbar is composed, are hinged to each other in a manner similar to that of the jointed braces which are used to distend a carriage-top, so that when they are brought in line with each other they jam at the point of connection, and act as a single bar to prevent thesection from rising.

The pair of jointed radius-bars are .connected with each other at or near the hinge by a rod, K, by means of which they are flexed, as represented in Figs. 1 and 2, or are straightened. By forcing the rod K backward the radius-bars are fixed, and the section 0, connected with them, is raised by drawing the rod K forward, the flexed radius-bars are straight ened, as shown in dotted lines in Fig.' 2, and the uppermost section is depressed within, the hopper f f. The open extremities of the cavity in'closcd by the sections are closed by end plates. Each of these is composed of two sections, It h, which are hinged to-each other and open at-the center of the cavity to admit the core-spindle. which is received in semicircular notches formed in the adjacent edges of the two sections. Thelower section, h, of each end plate consists of a flat baihinged at its hinder extremity to the bed-frame and supported at its front extremity, which terminates in a handle, t, by a spring-catch, j.- The lower sections serve to raise the core-spindle with the core-sand compressed upon it from the core'box. A box, M, to contain core-sand, is supported above the frontsliding plate, B, by standards secured to the bed-frame A. This sand-box extends the whole length of the machine, and is of a size sufficient to contain sand for a number of cores. The bottom L of the box is constructedto slide transversely above the hopper f f from and toward the front of the machine. It is perforated with a slot, m,

which extends the whole length of the corebox and contains just enough sand to form the half of a core. A plate, a, is secured to the standards immediately beneath the sliding bottom L. This extends up to the hopperff and prevents thesand in theslot from dropping out until it is brought by the movement of the sliding bottom over the hopper. A horizontal shaft, N, is supported by brackets at the front of the sand-box. This shaft is fitted with two drums, 7c 7., to each of which two straps, 0 o, are secured and are wound in opposite directions upon it. The extremities of these straps are made fast at aconsiderable distance from each to the sliding bottom. The shaft is fitted with a leverdiandle, I, by moving which the shaft is turned in either direction at will. the one pair of straps, 0, are wound upon their drums to draw the sliding bottom forward, while at the same time the other pair of straps, o, are unwound by reversing the motion of the shaft. The latter pair of straps are re woundupontheir drums to thrust the sliding bottom backward over the hopper.

The operation of this'machine is as follows: The sand-box is filled with sand properlyprepared for the manufacture of cores. The upper section, 0', of the core-box is raised by pushing the rod ,K toward the back of the machine, and the side sections are drawn apart by depressing the lever-handle F. The several parts of the machine will then occupy the positions in which they are represented in Figs. 1 and 2. The sliding bottom, containing in its slot at a charge of sandsuflicient to form the half of a core, is now shoved backward by means of the shaft N over the hopper ff, and the sand contained in the slot drops into the expanded core-box. The sliding bottom is now drawn forward beneath the sand-box to receive a fresh charge of sand by reversing the motion of the shaft N, and a core spindle is laid upon the sand in the core-box, its extremities being secured by closing the sectional end plates, h. A second charge of sand is then dropped upon the corespindle bymeans of the sliding bottom. The component parts of the core are now in their proper positions, and the operation is completed by forcing the movable sections of the core-box to their nearest positions. The uppermost section, c, is first depressed by drawing the rod K toward the front of the machine, and thus straightening the jointed radius-bars H, as represented by the dotted lines in Fig. 2. The side sections, b b, are then forced simultaneously toward each other by raising the hand-lever F, which turns the crank-shaft C. By these operations the sand is compressed upon the core-spindle to the size of the cylindrical space included between the sections when nearest together. (See dotted lines in Fig. 2.) The uppermost section is now raised, and the side sections are withdrawn, thus leaving the finished core, which is raised from the expanded core-box by means of the lower members of the sectional end plates, and is removed from the machine.

By turning it in one direction- Sand molds for castings formed by the instantaneous compression of the sand into the fiaskaronndthe pattern, although produced with great economy of labor and time, have hitherto been liable to such great practical objections that they have not to any consider.- able extent superseded the more'slow, laborious, and expensive method of ramming the sand gradually as it is filled into the flask with a stamper.

It is a: fact well known to founders that, in

order to produce a casting of the best quality, I

the molding-sand should be rammed hardest adjacent to the face of the mold, and ,t-hence outward in every direction, become gradually looser, in order that the gases and steam generated in pou'ring'the molten metal mold may havefree vent. It is also desirable to ram the sand in contact with the pat tern no harder than is necessary to give it the requisite eonsistencyto enable it to preserve its shape againstthe pressure of the molten metal when filled with the same, because with even the least rammingthat will give to the mold the requisite firmness the sand, if it has sufiicient clay or loam in its composition to give itsuch a degree of adhesiveness or st rength as will preserve itagainst too greataliability to breakdown by drawing the pattern or moving the flask, will be so tight and compact on the face of the mold that the gases can scarcely escape through it with sufficient freedom to prevent the formation of bubbles, that cause what is termed blisters on the face of the casting, which is thereby in all cases deteriorated and not unfrequently spoiled.

Many other injurious consequences result from the sand of a mold being compacted so hard as not to give free vent to the gases, among which may be mentioned the disruption' of the mold by the expansive force of the gas, which cracks the sand in all directions and allows the metal to run out, so that not only are the casting and mold both spoiled, but considerable of themetal itself is lost by mixing in fine particles with the sand. If the generation of gases is rapid and the sand very compact, the intensity and energy of the dis ruptivc action before mentioned is often increased, so as to produce a violent explosion, scattering the fiery molten metal in every direction, to the imminent danger of all within the building,andoften setting the building itself on fire.

In molds formed by compression by the pro cesses heretofore devised the sand has usually.

been placed loosely upon the pattern and then compressed upon the same by pressure applied from without, rendering-"it hardest andmost compact on the outside nearest the point at which the pressure is applied and least compact on the face of the mold adjacent to the pattern, in which case the sand would either be so soft next the pattern that the mold could not preserve its form against the pressure of the metal, or else, if the immediate face of the mold should be hard enough, the sand outside into the face is inclined and is separated from of the face or nearer the point at which the pressureis applied would be too hard, and the result in either case would be a defective casting.

I have devised a process to form the mold by compression, which avoids all these difficulties, and thus combines the peculiar excellencies of the gradually-rammed mold, with the saving of time and labor which the formation of the mold by'immediate compression effects, and it consists in forming the mold by pressing or indenting the patterninto a measured quantity of sand contained in a flask of peculiar-form, as hereinafter described; and as the pressure is in this case applied to the sand by the pattern itself, it follows that the face of the mold will be packed the hardest and the sand will be gradually looser and more give free vent for the gases.

My improved press for forming the-molds which give shape to the outer surface of the pipe is represented by Figs. 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, and 9. In these figures A A are a pair of standards, which are connected by two pressbeams, B B, of suflicient length to admit between them the flask of the longest. plpGdIIOld which the machine is constructed to form. The upper press-beam, B, is stationary and is firmly secured to the end standards, A A. It sup ports. the pattern by means of which the sand is compressed to the proper form. This pattern consists ofa block, C, which is let into a socket formed in a plate, 0, secured to the lower face of the upper press beam. The block 0 is equal inwidth to the diameter of the pipe to be molded, and its lower face is rounded, so as to form a halt-cylinder of the same size as the half of the pipe to be cast. This pattern-block is retained in the socket by two plates, a-a, which cross the socket beheath a shoulder formed on the block at each of its extremities. The lower face of the pattern-block is parallel with the face and back of the platein which it is inserted. Its upper the bottom of the socket by a wedge-shaped space to open in every direction toward the outside to which a wedge, D, is fitted. The pattern-block v is suspen ded from the press-beam by rods 1), which pass through slots in'the wedge D and through holesin the socket-plate G and pressbeam 13, their upper extremities being sustained by springs c c, which tend to draw the pattern-block upward. The wedge is fitted witha draw-rod, d, which is passed through a hole in one of the upright standards, A, of the press, and is formed at-its outer extremity into a ringhandle, to which the attendant applies his hand to move the wedge. \Vhen the ring-handle .is.dr'awn outward, the wedge is moved toward the operator and the springs a draw the pattern-block upward and into the socket in the plate 0'. \Vhen the draw-rel is. thrust inward, the wedge, acting upon the inclined face of the pattern-block U, depresses it in the socket and forces it to project the requisite distance to present a half-cylinder below the face of the plate 0. The lower press-beam, B, is movable, its extremities be ing constructed to slide vertically in slots formed in the end standards, A A. It is raised and depressed by .means .of two cranks, E, which are secured to the opposite extremities of a horizontal shaft, F, and are connected by rods e c with the press-beam. The shaft projects at one end of the machine beyond the end standard and is fitted with a lever-handle, G, by means of which it is turned in either direction to raise or depress the lower pressbeam. The lower'press-beam supports the flask carriage. This carriage is equal in length to the distance between the end standards, and carries one-half of the flask inwhicli the mold is to be made. It consists of a bed, H, hollowed at its upper surface to receive the flask and to support it firmly. This bed is fittedat each extremity with a plate, f, which slides upon a way, f, press-beam. The plates are each fitted with a pair of straps, i, which are wound in opposite directions upon and are secured to a drum, g, upon the extremity of a horizontal shaft 1.

The latter is supported by the press-beam andhas a crank, J, secured to it, by means of which the shaft is turned in either direction to move the sliding carriage from or toward the front of the machine. The carriage carries the half-flask K, which is surmounted by a hopper, L, that projects sufficiently above the edges of the flask to form a cavity within the two of sufiicientsize to hold the exact quantity of sand required to form a half-mold. A box,

M, to contain molding-sand, is supported by brackets at the back of the machine. This box is equal in length with the flask-carriage,

and is of sufficient size to contain enough sand to form a number of molds. It is open at the top, and is closed beneath-by a movable bottom, N, whose upper surface is in the same plane. with that of the hopper on the flask-carriage, and which is constructed to slide on ways from or toward the front of the'machine. Itis moved backward by means of the hopper L on the carriage, which, as the latter is forced backward by turning the crank J, strikes the front edge of the sliding bottom and, driving it before it, takes its place beneath the sand-box. The sliding bottom is returned to its place as the carriage is drawn forward by means of a pair of spring-hooks, h. These are projected backward from the hinder face of the carriage-bed, and are of the'form represented in Fig. 9. As the carriage is forced backward the heads of these hooks pass beneath a pair of snugs, j, which are projected from a beam secured tov 1 the sliding bottom N. They then strike the sloped extremities of a pair ofstationary ways, It, by means of which-theyare bent upward, and as the carriage continues to slide backward are'compelled to slide upon the level surfaces .of the ways, closely followcd by the snugs, which move with the sliding bottom. lVhen the carriage is drawn forward, these hooks, striking the songs, draw them, with the attached a wedge-shaped stop,

chine, and as the secured to the lower standard, by means of sliding bottom, forward until the heads of the hooks reach the sloped extremities of the ways k, down which they pass by the spring of their shanks, and thus disengage themselves from the snugs. As it is essential that in drawing the carriage forwardthe flask should be stopped exactly beneath the upper press-beam, I have I, to each end of the bed H. The thickest parts or heads of these steps are toward the front of the macarriage is drawn forward these come in contact with a pair of sliding bolts, m, which are projected by springs 11 through the inner faces of the end standards, A A, and thus stop the forward motion of the carriage. \Vhen the carriage is forced backward from its most forward position, the in-' clined faces of the stops Z, acting upon the ends of the" spring-bolts, force them outward, to allow the carriage to pass. The sliding bolts are each connected with a lover, a, on which the spring a acts, and the two levers are connected with along bar, 0, by means of which the sliding bolts are drawn from the stops lon the carriage, to allow it to pass to its most forward position. This bar is fitted with a projecting handle, O,to which the hand of the operator can be applied to move the bar. Before the flask can be removed from the carriage the hopper L must be lifted from it. This is effected by a pair of spring-catches, g, which, when the carriage supporting .the flask and hopper is raised beneath the upper beam, catch beneath ledges 1;, formed at the ends of the hopper, and hold it in its uppermost position while the carriage with the flask is lowered. These catches are each acted upon by a short upright lever, r, pivoted to the end which they can be detached from the hopper, to allow it to drop upon the carriage. The two levers are connected by a rod, 1?, by means of which they can be moved simultaneously, and the rod is fitted with a handle, 1?, to which the attendant applies his hand when the catches are to be detached.

Flasks to contain sand molds for thin castings have hitherto been deemed to be of the best shape when so formed that after the mold is completed it is surrounded by a uniform thickness of sand, because when the sand is of uniform thickness experience has proved that it is most likely to be rammed to a uniform density. These conditions, although best when the mold is formed by ramming the sand upon the pattern, I have discovered will not give good results when the mold is formed by )ressing the pattern into the sand, particularly in the case of pipes, pots, &c., which require molds of considerable depth with steep sides, which, when thus made in the common flask, leave the sand deficient in density at the sides of the mold, while at its top and bottom it is compacted too hard. To ob viate this difficulty I resorted to several exedients, which were more or less beneficial, but I did not find a complete and satisfactory this principle of construction.

practical remedy until I discovered that the tendency to unequal compression of the sand by the impression of the pattern thereincou-ld be counteracted by giving to the flask a greater prominence, or causing it to protrude toward the pattern in one or more steps or grades at those parts where the sand is liable to be too little compressed, and by causing it to recede from the pattern at those parts where the sand is liable to be pressed too hard. The flask K (represented in the drawings) is adapted to the molding of pipes, and is an exemplification'of The steps or grades are believed to cause the sand to pack more equally by preventing it from slipping down the side of the flask in mass when the pressure is applied, as well as by increasing the comparative depth of the sand where the compression is the greatest, in order that the depth of the sand, being varied in proportion to the varying degree oieompression to which it is subjected by the pattern, may receive a uniform degree of condensation or hardness on the face of the mold.

I have found by experiment with moldingsand obtained in the vicinity of the city of Washington that to surround the mold for a thin cast-iron pipe two inches in diameter with an average depth of an inch and a quarter of sand would give good results; and in this case the corners of theeprotuberances on the inside of the 'flask approached within sev'en-eighths of an inch of the pattern at the nearest point, which was situate half way between the bottom and top of .the half-flask, while the depression at the bottom of the flask immediately beneath the pattern receded from the latter an inch and five-eighths. The distance between theupper' edges of the flask and'the adjacent portion of the pattern was an inch and a quarter. A section ofthis flask is shown in Fig. 15-on a scale of half an inch to an inch. These proportions in this case produced a sufficient degree of uniformity in the hardness of the face of the mold; but as the best proportionate size of the protuberances and deprcssionsof the inside of a flask will not only vary with variations in the form of the pattern, but also with variations in the quality or composition of the sand, it would be impossible to give a definite rule for the construction of flasks applicable to all cases so as to dispense with all experiment; and I do not pretend to have done this, All I profess to have done is to I have discovered that the formation of the sides of the flask in one or more steps more or less distant from the pattern as the sand is pressed by the latter to a greater or less degree will give to the surface of the mold, when made as herein described, uniformity of hardness, or thereabout, and thus obviate one of the hitherto most serious obstacles in the way of machinemolding. And when it is considered that molding by machinery is only adapted to the reproduction of the same form a great number of times in'succession, and that when one rious objection to'the practical working of this branch of,n1y invention.

It is customary in molding fine castings to form that portion of the mold with which the metalcomes in contact of sand of a quality different from that'of which the rest of the mold is formed. This facing-sand is usually applied in hand-molding by sifting it overthe pattern in a thin layer before the rest of the molding-sand is introduced in the flask.

' In my machine the requisite quantity of coarse sand is first introduced "into the flask, and a thin layer of facing-sand is then sifted upon it by a mechanical device, so as to be next to the-pattern. In order to effect this operation, a box, Q, cqual in length with the flask-carriage, is supported by brackets betweenthe sand-box M and the upper pressbeam, B. The bottom of thisbox is pierced with holes, through which the facing-sand is caused to pass by jarring thebox. The jarring is effected by a bent lever, s, which is pivoted to the lower press-beam, its upper extremity being bent to strike the back of the box. The lower extremity of this lever is caused to vibrate by means of a notched disk,

t, which is secured to the crank-shaft I, and

whose teeth strike the lower end of the lever.

As it is only necessary to jar the facing-sand box during the passage of the flask beneath it, the disk'is only partially furnished with teeth, which are in such position with respect to the lever s that they act upon it only when the flask-carriage is passing beneath the box.

In order to supply thesand-box with molding-sand as it is used by the forming of molds, I have devised a-mecha'uical temperer, elevator and sifter, which isapplied to the back of the machine. This consists of a mill in which the sand is tempered, of an elevator by which it is carried to the topof the machine, and of a distr-ibuter by which it is distributed evenly along the whole length of a vibrating sieve, through which it is sifted into the sand-box.

The tempering-null consists of a shallow cylindrical vessel, 'K, in which a stirrer or rake, S, is made to revolveby means of an upright shaft, n, which is furnished with a beltpulley, w. The latter is driven by a belt from a similar pulley, w, on a counter-shaft, T. The stirrer is furnished at its under side with teeth, which as they turn pulverize the lumps and thoroughly mix the molding-sand thrown into the mill. The bottom of the mill is per forated withan opening, '0, through which the tempered sand escapes and drops into the moving buckets of an elevator, U. This elevator is passed round two drums, w w, the lower of which is put in motion by means of a chine to the other.

belt, which encircles a pulley secured to its shaft, and a corresponding pulley upon the counter-shaft T. The elevator discharges the V sand into a spout, V, which shoots it upon a plate farthest from the spout, while at the same time by their obliqueaction they discharge it over the front edge of the plate into the sieve Y. The frame His moved to and fro by means of a crank-pin, 5', which is proiected from the face of a pulley, Z, mounted upon a short shaft at the back of the machine. The crank-pin plays in the lower slotted extremity of a level", A, which is pivoted to the frame of the machine, and whose upper extrcmit y is connected by a rod, a with the frame H.

In order to prevent the loss of sand,the plate W is surrounded on three sides by ribs. The sand falls from the plate into a long sieve, Y, This is constructed in slide endwise upon the frame of the machine, and is put in motion by an arm, b projected upward from a shaft, c". This shaft is fitted at. one end with a second arm, h, which isstruek and moved by pins d, projected from the front face of the pulley Z.

7 It is also fitted with a third shortarm, f",

which isacted on by aspring, g". This spring, by bearing upon the arm 1'', draws the sieve toward that end of the machine as often as it is forced from it by the action of the pins (1 on the arm 71", so that by the combined operation of the pins and spring the sieve re ceives an intermittent reciprocating movement by which the sand in it is sifted into the sand-box M beneath. The pulley Z is connected by a belt with the pulley won the counter-shaft T, so that the whole series of devices by which the sand is tempered, elevated, dis tributed, and sifted are put in operation by turning the pulley Z, which may be done either by power or by hand.

The operation of molding pipes with this press is as follows: The box Q is fitted with facing sand, and molding sand= previously moistened is thrown into the tempering-mill R. The stirrer, elevator, distributer, and sieve are then put in motion by turning the pulley Z either by power'or by hand. As the sand is stirred and tempered, it drops through the opening 1: in the bottom of the mill and is carried by.the elevator to the distributing-plate W. More the oblique hoes act upon it, and,distributing it along the plate, discharge it into the vibrating sieve, whence it falls into the sand-box beneath. Assoon as a quantity of spring back as the stops pass them.

torn from the rest of the mold.

sand suflicient to form several molds has aecumulated'in the sand-box, the operation of molding may be commenced. Before commencing this operationseveral members of the machine are moved to the posit-ions'in which they are represented in Fig. 4. A halfflask is now placed upon the flask-carriage, and the operator, applying his hand to the crank J ,turns the shaft I, and thus forces the carriage backward. As the stops Z enter between the spring-bolts m the latter are forced outward by the inclined faces of the stops and When the carriage is in this posit-ion, the operator, applying his hand to the handle 1.", drops the hopper L upon the flask on the carriage. He then by turning the crank J forces the whole beneath the sand-box M, whose bott-omyiel'ds to the advancing carriage and allows the latter to take its place beneath the sand-box. The sand in the box falls into the cavity of the flask and hopper, and as the carriage is drawn forward by reversing the motion of the crank J the edge ofthe front side of the sandbox, beneath which the carriage is drawn, strikes off the surplus, thus leaving the cavity evenly filled to its brim with sifted moldingsand. The carriage is drawn forward (by turning the crank) until the stops Z strike the spring-bolts m. In this forward motion it passes beneath the perforated bottom of the facing-sand box, which, being jarred by the action of the toothed disk t and bent levers, distributes a small quantity of facing-sand in athin layer upon the molding-sand in the hopper. \Vh'en the stops Z strike the bolts m,

the flaskcarriage is immediately beneath the upper press-beam, 13, to which the pattern is secured, and against which it is forced upward by means of the lever'handle G, which operates the crank-shaft F and cranks E. As

the carriage rises the pattern-block C, with I the plate U, to which it is made fast, enters the hopper L, and as the upward movement of the carriage is continued the sand within the flask and hopper, being prevented from escaping, has a cavity the exact counterpart of the pattern formed by. compression in its upper surface. As the carriage rises the ledges p at theextremitios of thehopper strike the inclined faces of the spring-catches g,

which yield to the rising hopper, and, as it passes,closc beneath the ledges at its extremities. The upward movement of the carriage is limited by the length of the cranks which are brought by the turning of the crank-shaft in line with the connecting-rods \Vhen this limit is reached,the attendant applies his hand to the draw-rod d, and draws itoutward, thus moving the wedge and allowing the springs c to draw the pattern from the mold into the soeketiu the plate, while the latter, remaining stationary,prevents the compressed sand at the corners of the mold from adhering tothe 1. attern-block and from being thus The motion of the lever-handle G ist-hen reversed, and

upon its projecting edges.

cylindrical case, I,

the carriage, with the flask and its contents, descends, leaving the hopper L suspended by the spring-catches q. As soon as the carriage reaches its lowermost position the sliding bolts m are withdrawn by moving the handle 0', and the carriagejis moved to its most forward position by turning the crank J The half-flaslr,with its half-mold, is removed, and the wedge l) is thrust inward to project the pattern-block from the plate 0. An empty half-flask is then placed upon the carriage and form another half-' the machine is ready to nrold by a repetition. operations.

The gate through which the melted metal enters the mold is formed at the same time with the rest of the mold by attaching a patternofi the exact size of. the intended gate to the pipe-pattern.

Itnvill be perceived from the foregoing description that. the molding-press forms the half of a mold at each operation. Two such halves are put together face to face with a core in the cavity to form a complete pipe mold. Both halves might be molded in the of the above-specified same press and by the same pattern when this course is adapted. The gate-pattern must be placed alternatelv on opposite sides of the pipepattern, so that the gate-molds of the two half-flasks will match when the flask is closed. The shifting of the gate-pattern to the opposite sides of the pipe-pattern may be effected by a motion derived from the tlaskls. ca 1''- riage, or may be done by hand; but I commonly use two distinct presses, each having a half-pattern secured to-it, as by'this means the time taken up in substituting one pattern for another, or in shifting the gate-pattern from side to side, is saved.

My improved eorespindle is represented at Fig. 10, and is constructed in the following manner: A rod, 0, whose section is a cross .with arms of equal length, has a screw cut wound upon it in the indentations between the threads of'the screw. Thus an open helix, through the interstices formed in the cores and by contact with the melted metal, can easily escape into the channels between the wings of the rod. The coresand adheres so firmly to this spindle, and the latter aifords so free a ventto the vapor formed in pouring the mold, that no stoving is required to dry the core before it is set in the mold.

The improved spruc-ease, by means of which a number of pipes in separate flasks are all poured at one operation, is represented in Figs. 1], 12, 13, and 14. It consists of a. flat surmountedby a tubular stem, R. The case is formed of two pieces, so as to part horizontally ioreceivc a lining of sand. The stem It is divided longitudinally into two halves for the same purpose. The upper partition of the hat case has lugs r pro jected from it, which are perforated to admit the bent extremities of clamp irons s, b

'i'orated with an opening,

Wire 2' is then of which the vapormeans of which the pipe-flasks are secured to the sprite-case. A plate, S, having similar lugs t projected from it and a hole in its center,--is' shoved upon the upper extremity of the stem, and is supported by a ring-shoulder, 10, formed upon it. The lugs of this plate are also perforated, to admit clamp-irons similar tothose of the cylindrical case. of the latter between each pair of lugs is perwhich corresponds with similar openings in the lower extremities of the pipe-"flasks, at which the gates are made. This spree is lined with a coating of loam or with molding-sand, forced into it bya press in a manner similar to that described by me for forming pipe-molds. The sand in the flat case P has a series of branching channels formed in it, each one of which leads from'the center of the case to one of the openings be; tween the lugs.

The closed flasks K are set between the lugs of the cylindrical case and those of the plate S, and are secured in place by the clamp-irons s, as shown in Fig. 11, the gate of the flask corresponding with the gate of the SpILIG-CHSB P. The'melted metal is then poured in atthe top of the stem Rand, being distributed by the branching channels to the gate of the several flasks, rises equally in each flask and fills the'whole set at one operation, thus saving the delay incurred in pouring each flask separately, as well as economizing the-labor and expense of constructing a separate sprue for each flask, and. saving the cost of remelting the metal required to fill the separate sprues.

In the foregoing description the machinery for tempering andsit'ting the molding-sand and for supplying it for molding has been described in connection with a single moldingpress; but it will be obvious to the skillful mechanic that such an apparatus could be readily adapted withoutcssential alteration to the preparation and supply of sand to any number of presses for making either molds or cores. This machinery is also adapted to the tempering, sifting, and distributing of sand for hand-molding, and it will, when properly arranged, be found an efficient labor-saving apparatus in any foundry where miscellaneous castings are made, but more especially in those in which small articles are chiefly made and where a great number of hands are employed.

I contemplate the application of this apparatus under suitable modifications to foundries of all descriptions.

This description has been restricted to the process of making a complete pipe-mold; but it is quite obvious that numerous other articles may be molded by means 'of this machine quite as advantageous as pipcs-as, for example, stoi'eplates, cast-iron tiles, gearing-of various descriptions, cast-metal beams for houses and for other structures, &c. In molding these various articles no other change will be required in the molding-press than to adapt it to the form and siziof the patterns and of The barreltheflasks l'or molding them. Such changes can be made by any competent workman, and therefore any further or more particular (lescription ofthe mannerof carrying them into effect is unnecessary.

Whenever solid cores of sand or learn, or cores without a central rod are required, they can be readily made by means of the corepress heieindescribed; better for this purpose it may belifted with the core and be carried to the stove or to the mold, as the case may be, without danger of breaking; the core. The latter may even be left on this section until it is to be used, in

which case a supply of section-plates equalin number to the cores required must be provided.

In the foregoing description of the corepress itis stated that the lower section of'the core-box does not move in pressing the core, and hence the whole pressure in a vertical direction is applied by moving the uppermost section. Gases may occur where it mayv be advisable to move the lower as well as the up-- per section, in which. case I propose to arrange the machine in such manner that a portion of the lower section equal in width with the sand-hopper can be moved downward in a slot before the core-sand is introduced and can then be forced upward simultaneously with the depression ofv the uppermost section.

The molding and core presses are described as operated by hand, and in general it will be found most advisable to work them in this manner; but for some purposes it may be found best'to operate them wholly by power, and I intend so to do especially for making the molds of small plain castings.

Having thus described my imp rovements in the art of founding,'what I claim therein as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,

1. The method of making molds for eastings by impressing the pattern into a measu'red-quantity of sand contained in a' flask constructed with steps or protnberances and but to adapt it the depressions, substantially as herein described, so that the mold, when finished, may be surrounded by sand varying in thickness in proportion to the different degrees of compression which it receives by the impression of the pattern, in order thatthe density or hardness of the face of the mold may be rendered more uniform, substantially as herein set forth.

The method of charging the half-flask with the requisite quantity of sand to form a half-mold by surmoimling'said flask with a hopper'and passing the two to and fro beneath a sand-box, substantially as herein described.-

3. The method of detaching the hopper from .the flask after the mold is formed and of applying it thereto before the sand is introduced, substantially as herein described. 1

4. The method-of applying facing-sand to the flask prior to the formation of the mold by means of apparatus operating substantially as herein described. I

The method of temperingf distributing, and sifting molding-sand by means of machinery operating substantially as'herein described.

6. The core-spindle, constructed substantially as herein described.

7. The method of filling a series of flasks with melted metal by a single sprue by means of a sprue-casep'ith which the flasks are connected, substantially as herein set forth.

8. The combination of apparatus for tempering the molding-sand, apparatus for distributing the tempered sand and sifting it into the sand-reservoir, and apparatus for supplying to the flask a measured quantity of sand from the-reservoir with a flask and pressing apparatus, whereby the sand is worked and the mold produced by machinery operating substantially as herein set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name.

GHAPMAN WARNER.

WVit-nesses:

vJoHN L. SMITH,

JOHN HAGERTY. 

